Patent GB-1508932-A (GB)
Title: Article dispensing apparatus
IPC: G07F7/00
Filed: 1976-05-19
Abstract: 1508932 Article dispensers CAPTAIN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES Inc 19 May 1976 [11 June 1975] 20705/76 Heading B8U Article dispensing apparatus comprises a pair of carousels 22, 24 located in a dispensing chamber and which are rotatable about respective vertical axes and are each divided by a shelf 42, 48 into upper and lower portions which are formed with compartments open on the periphery of the carousel, a pair of transparent doors (32, 34) and (36, 38), Fig. 1 (not shown), being mounted in the front of the apparatus at the location of each carousel so that the customer can view the contents of the compartments. Provided on the top of each carousel is a series of slots 94, Fig. 4, in one of which a tab 86 of a latching device 84 is normally engaged, the tab 86 also passing through a slot 82 in the top wall 18 of the dispensing chamber so that the carousels are prevented from rotation in this manner. Each of the transparent doors, such as the door 32 as shown in Fig. 10, is normally locked by a respective latch 134 which engages the vertical free edge of the door. Provided above each carousel is a detent arm assembly 96 associated with a control switch 98, the assembly 96 being coupled with the latching device 84 and latches 134 of the associated carousel. When a customer wishes to obtain an article from a particular carousel he inserts a key into a key hole (122), Fig. 3 (not shown), whereupon electrical power is coupled with the various components of the dispensing apparatus. This causes a solenoid 90 to be operated so that the latching device 84 is pivoted thereby to withdraw its tab 86 from the aligned slots 82, 94 so that the carousel is freed for rotation, such rotation being effected by the customer by manually engaging a projecting portion of a top end cap 72 of the carousel. Rotation of the carousel in either direction causes the detent arm 96 to break contact with its switch 98 so that electrical power to the solenoids 150, Fig. 10, associated with the door latches is interrupted as shown by the circuit of Fig. 12 (not shown), thereby preventing the doors from being opened duri carousel rotation. When the open side of a compartment is juxtaposed to the door 32, and it is assumed that this particular compartment contains the requred article the tab 86 becomes aligned with the slot 82 and slot 94 at the top of that compartment, so that the switch 98 is again closed. The customer then pushes a release button (124), Fig. 3 (not shown), associated with the door 32 which causes the solenoid 150 to be actuated whereupon a lever 142 is rotated to permit the latch 134 to be rotated by a spring 136 to the position of Fig. 11 (not shown) in which the latch 134 has pushed the door 32 to its open position. Also, the rotation of the lever 142 has caused a switch 148 to open, Fig. 10, thereby interrupting power to the solenoid 90 so that the tab 86 is pushed down through the aligned slots 82, 94 by a leaf spring 88 forming part of the latching device 84 thereby preventing rotation of the carousel while the door 32 is open and while the customer is removing the required article. Closing of the door 32 returns the dispensing apparatus to its original condition.